Marketing
Why Consider Cause Marketing For Your Business
For many businesses, the marketing budget is tight so we are looking for the biggest bang for the buck. Cause marketing can be a low cost good return strategy to consider.
Cause marketing is a type of corporate social responsibility, in which a business’s promotional campaign has the dual purpose of increasing profitability while bettering a community, not for profit and/or society as a whole. You may have also heard of cause-related marketing which is a type of cause marketing that involves the direct cooperative efforts of a business and a non-profit organisation for mutual benefit.
Cause marketing is not necessarily based on a donation. As it is a marketing campaign, it could relate to volunteering or supplying goods/services at a discount or pro-bono rather than cash donations that carry a tax deduction.
Cause marketing can be more successful if there is a direct link or story between the business and the non-profit organisation. For example (this example is fictitious), Fred is a partner of XYZ 2nd Tier Accounting Firm who’s 18 year old child became blind due to a car accident. When his child is at Braille House learning braille, Fred does gardening and handyman fix ups around the facilities as a way of giving back. Fred’s 14 year old is always taking pictures of Fred and posting on social media what a great Dad he is. Fred also organises a fundraising event each year where he encourages staff and clients to wear some sort of dotty clothing and donate $10 to Braille House for going dotty.
Here Fred is really only investing his time, however, the awareness of who he is, his story and his giving generates publicity for him and his accounting firm. Through this cause marketing, people are more likely to engage with him to then use him as their accountant.
Continuing the fictitious example, Fred has 30 staff through which he could expand cause marketing to engage his staff in volunteering or taking on a project at Braille House as a way of professional development. The staff then promote what they are doing to others which, in turn, promotes XYZ 2nd Tier Accounting Firm, not to mention the promotion of Fred and his staff’s generous involvement by Braille House.
A genuine and well-executed cause marketing campaign is one of the most useful marketing campaigns for both corporations and non-profits. A non-profit organisation can gain increased funding, exposure and reliability by aligning themselves with a trusted brand, while businesses see increased brand loyalty, boost employee morale, and raise sales by ‘sponsoring’ a worthwhile cause.
So, when you are thinking about your marketing think about throwing cause marketing strategies into the mix.
Should You Be Friends With Your Boss, Work Colleagues and Clients on Facebook
There was an interesting article I this month’s CPA Australia “IN the Black” magazine that talked about navigating social media.
One of the common issues which arises is the question as to whether you should be “friends” with your boss, work colleagues and clients on Facebook.
If you accept the “friend” connect, then these work related people will see your posts and posts you are tagged in. So, if you like posting nude photos to your family and friends or have a very strong social comment do you really want your boss or close work associates seeing these posts? What if you have taken a sickie and headed off to the coast on such a beautiful day and in your total enjoyment and excitement posted a photo of you enjoying the beach? When it comes to linking your Facebook activities to your work environment, you must ensure a professional image which aligns with the values of your employ and your clients.
There are so many situations where the disclosure of information to family and close friends will not have any serious impact while the same disclosure to your boss or clients could seriously jeopardise your working relationship.
If you do connect with work colleagues or business associates on Facebook, then maybe you should look at setting your privacy settings so that friends who tag you need your approval before they appear on your feed. Often it is not your comments that offend but what the people connected with you say or do.
Remember, if your Facebook posts reflect poorly on the business you work for, then this could lead to disciplinary action and in the worst case your dismissal.
What is the alternative then?
Maybe a face to face chat with that person where you explain that you keep Facebook solely for family and close friends but would love to connect via LikedIn.
In terms of using LinkedIn forget about the humour and social news and focus on such things as industry news, company updates and milestones/celebrations.
How Small Business Value Competes with Price
In most industries, there is a big player usually taking market share based on price. You’ve seen the ads –
Bunnings – Where lowest Prices are just the beginning.
Officeworks – Big Ideas, Lowest Prices
Specsavers – Stylish Frames, Great Prices … and so on.
As we know, small business makes up 90+% of businesses in Australia. Unfortunately, many of them can’t compete with the large corporations on price. So how then do these businesses be heard over the noise of the large corporations?
This question ignited great discussion amongst my fellow members of the Albany Creek Business Contacts (ACBC) networking group. With a terrific cross section of small business represented not only from industry perspective but also taking into account micro-business, small business who employ and franchise representation, it was unanimously agreed that the message is the value small business can provide can outweigh dollar savings.
If you are in the business of selling products, small business can struggle with competitive price in relation to large corporations because they don’t have the buying power of the larger competitors – for example, large organisations purchases products for resale in much larger quantities than a small business competitor thereby having a better bargaining position to drive the purchase price down and then, in turn, being able to resell at a lower price. However, in many instances, you get what you pay for – cheap, short life, limited service and in some instances, low value for money.
Which leads to the point that the Best Price does not necessarily mean the cheapest price. By way of example, Uncle Henry does weekend electrical work at mates rates. Henry has worked in the construction industry for 15 years however, he isn’t a qualified sparky but has done lots of electrical installation in his time. His price to do some rewiring work and power point installation works out to $150 plus a six pack (and he will require lunch and a chat). A qualified electrician, with 15 years’ experience as an electrician, who keeps his skills current, uses correct and appropriate equipment which has been correctly maintained to industry standards, provides a guarantee/warrantee in relation to their work done and carries all appropriate insurances in relation to their business/work charges for the same job $250.
Using this example, a price driven customer would use Uncle Henry and run the risk of unsafe work and loss of insurance in the event of destruction caused by the electrical work. However, look beyond the price as to the value for money proposition and in this event, I would suggest, the customer would choose the qualified electrician to do the work.
So how does small business communicate the value proposition in the market place in order to compete against those promoting based on price? Well my ACBC colleagues believe it is about reputation for the value of using the small business.
OK, well that’s great I hear you say, but how does a small business build that reputation and get it out there?
Well here is some suggestions:
- Blog about your business and how you add value/demonstrate expertise. In my example above, the qualified electrician can blog about his safety processes/checks and balances, the equipment he uses and why, industry knowledge and scams customers should be aware of and so on.
- Promote the ethics of your business.
- Engage in referral networks like ACBC where people get to know you and form strong bonds with your business to promote you to others.
- Client Nurture Programs to engage existing clients/customers to share the love of you.
- Gather and publish testimonials and reviews about your business.
- Don’t assume that people (even friends and family) know about your business – explain to them what you do and what sets you apart from the competition.
When thinking about your value proposition you wish to communicate to the market place, ask yourself – if all businesses were the same for a customer, what would make them choose one over the other?
(Blog contributors – Rob Carmody (Australian Integrated Communications) Sally Balwin (Balanix Solutions) Kathy Patterson (Brendale Stationery Supplies) Matthew Fox (Brisbane hosting & Web Design) Kirsty Newbery (Caring Cottage) Brad Davies (Conquest Pest & Termite Control) Scott Deaves (David Deane Real Estate) De Wet van der Nest (Express Air Con Cleaning) Oriano Giammichele (GT Racing, Mobile Mechanic) Rhennen Ford (Streten Mason Lawyers) Tracey Carter (Scrub Mutts) Jason Matthey (Insurance Web) Damien Jenkins (Australian Unity, North Lakes) Anne-Louise Underwood (SMS Toolkits) Bruce Hall (Wombat Electrical)
Albany Creek Business Contacts consists of local quality and reliable businesses who provide a wide range of services from home and residential services to B2B and commercial services. Our service areas cover primarily Albany Creek, Eatons Hill, Brendale, Aspley, Warner, Chermside, Strathpine, North Lakes. However many members will cover greater areas.
Albany Creek Business Contacts meet fortnightly on a Wednesday morning for a 7am breakfast and networking meeting.
Balanix Solutions – Taxation | Accounting | Business Advise.
Situated in Strathpine on Brisbane North, we partner with our clients to assist them in their accounting, business management and bookkeeping needs. Our clients vary in industries from professional services (such as law, vet and dentist) to the trades (mechanic, bricklaying, plasterer etc), hospitality and retail. Are clients are located in the Pine Rivers area (including Brendale, Lawnton, Albany Creek and Eatons Hill) through to Kallangur, Petrie, North Lakes and Caboolture, as well as Brisbane South, the Gold Coast and various other parts of Queensland.
Call us today … we can help (07 3264 4783)
What Makes a Good Sign for Your Business
Signs Signs, Everywhere, there’s signs
Blocking out the scenery Breaking my mind
Do this Don’t do that
Can’t you read the signs
(Five Man Electrical Band – 1970-71)
Everywhere you go there are signs advertising various products, services and businesses. Large building signs, street level A-frame signs, car signage, window signs and so the list goes on. With all this visual noise around us, we discussed the question today at the Albany Creek Business Contacts meeting – what makes a good sign that will attract the right attention and result in action by prospective customers/clients.
It was agreed that depending on the type of sign there will be differences. However, as Dan Milgate (Fit4Life) explained, “make the important information big and keep the sign simple.” The group agreed that, generally, you only have a few seconds for a prospect to have your sign catch their eye and for them to engage in it and decide if they want to respond. Therefore, make it clear, simple and readable (Kathy Patterson – Brendale Stationery Supplies).
The group agreed that the most important information for your sign is your logo, business name, contact information (ie phone number and web address) and a bit of information about the business. As Andrew Gallagher (Lollyworld) shared “only your mum and you care about your business name. unless your business name actually tells you what you do (eg, Core Computers, Brisbane Hosting and Website Design) then your business name is not the focus – what you do is what people need to know.” Using this as a guide, business owners can think about then what should stand out more on a sign – the business name or what the business does.
As Kirsty Newberry (Caring Cottage) correctly added, “your signage needs to reflect your image.” Your signage will tell the market what to expect from your business. If the signage is crude or offensive, people will assume that is the type of people they will deal with in your business and make decisions about buying from you accordingly.
Branding and image led the group into a discussion about using humor and sex in signage. It was raised that for some, being funny, provocative and/or controversial can be successful for some businesses if done the right way. Brad Davies (Conquest Pest & Termite Control) shared that on his trucks is the catch phrase “at least I get to kill the pests.” Given the nature of his business, clients have engaged in the slogan and found it quite uplifting and appropriate.
However, caution needs to be taken with using humor, sex and/or controversy as they can very easily offend and create a negative image for a business. As Leonard Whittaker (Action Cycle Learning) pointed out, “sex might sell but doesn’t build relationships.” It was agreed that the rule of thumb is to keep signage “G” rated and appropriate to your business and image.
Finally, Craig Chalmers (Royalty Home Services) added, “make sure you know the regulations and rules about what you can and can’t do in relation to the type of signage you want to use and where you wish to use it. Also check if there are any costs involved.”
Share with us your suggestions and strategies for effective signage for a business by going to www.facebook.com/balanix and commenting in the post of this article.
Albany Creek Business Contacts consists of local quality and reliable businesses who provide a wide range of services from home and residential services to B2B and commercial services. Our service areas cover primarily Albany Creek, Eatons Hill, Brendale, Aspley, Warner, Chermside, Strathpine, North Lakes. However many members will cover greater areas.
Albany Creek Business Contacts meet fortnightly on a Wednesday morning for a 7am breakfast and networking meeting.
Balanix Solutions – Accountant, Business Advisor, Bookkeeping.
Situated in Strathpine on Brisbane North, we partner with our clients to assist them in their accounting, business management and bookkeeping needs. Our clients vary in industries from professional services (such as law, vet and dentist) to the trades (mechanic, bricklaying, plasterer etc), hospitality and retail. Are clients are located in the Pine Rivers area (including Brendale, Lawnton, Albany Creek and Eatons Hill) through to Kallangur, Petrie, North Lakes and Caboolture, as well as Brisbane South, the Gold Coast and various other parts of Queensland.
Call us today … we can help (07 3264 4783)
STOP! – It May Cost You to Remove that Negative Review
David Balwin
CPA | Accountant | Business Advisor
Marketing 101 – publish testimonials and reviews to help create a positive view of your brand, to boost sales, to attract future customers/clients and to boost your website’s SEO.
It’s awesome to be loved by your customers/clients and for the love to be shared through testimonials and reviews shouted out on websites, social media and review sites. Clients/customers expect reviews to be independent and genuine. Problem is, the increase of review platforms has bought an increase in fake testimonials and reviews.
Enter the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) who have issued guidelines for managing online reviews to combat dishonest, misleading and shonky practices.
BE Warned – breaching the guidelines can result in hefty fines. The 2011, the ACCC fined a removalist business $6,600 for misleading online reviews. The business admitted to having made representations on its website that purported to be testimonials by genuine consumers when they were not.
So, generally speaking, what are the NoNos when it comes to testimonials and reviews. In a nutshell:
- You need to remove fake or misleading reviews. Testimonials/reviews may be considered fake or misleading if they are presented as impartial, but were written by:
- the reviewed business
- a competitor
- someone paid to write the review who has not used the product or service
- someone who has used the product or service but written an inflated review to receive a financial or non-financial benefit.
Reviews you know to be fake or misleading risk breeching the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
- You should not:
- encourage family and friends to write reviews about your business without disclosing their personal connection with your business in that review
- write reviews when you have not experienced the product or service reviewed or which do not reflect a genuinely held position
- solicit others to write reviews about your business or a competitor’s business if they have not experienced the product or service.
- You should only offer incentives in exchange for reviews if:
- incentives are offered equally to consumers likely to be complimentary and consumers likely to be critical, and positive and negative reviews are treated the same
- the reviewer is expressly told that the incentive is available whether the review is positive or negative
- the incentive is prominently disclosed to users who rely on affected reviews.
- You should disclose commercial relationships between review platforms and your business to ensure the relationship does not influence the overall rating of a business on the site. For example, a review platform may allow a business that advertises on the site to select a review to appear at the top of the page or prevent negative reviews from being automatically uploaded.
- Ensure the consumer review platforms you rely on disclose the total number of reviews that the rating is based on next to the aggregated rating (eg, 3 stars, 24 reviews).
- Think twice before selectively removing or editing reviews, particularly negative/critical reviews. If the total body of reviews doesn’t reflect the opinions of consumers who have submitted the reviews consumers may be misled.
For more information about the ACCC’s guidelines, here’s the link.
Balanix Solutions – Accountant, Business Advisor, Bookkeeping.
Situated in Strathpine on Brisbane North, we partner with our clients to assist them in their accounting, business management and bookkeeping needs. Our clients vary in industries from professional services (such as law, vet and dentist) to the trades (mechanic, bricklaying, plasterer etc), hospitality and retail. Are clients are located in the Pine Rivers area (including Brendale, Lawnton, Albany Creek and Eatons Hill) through to Kallangur, Petrie, North Lakes and Caboolture, as well as Brisbane South, the Gold Coast and various other parts of Queensland.
Call us today … we can help (07 3264 4783)
